Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai broke a bone in his throwing hand in Saturday's loss to Iowa, according to ESPN. Mordecai had a pin surgically placed in his hand to correct the damage. His timetable for a return is unknown, though he is out for the foreseeable future.
Former Mississippi State transfer Braedyn Locke entered the game to replace Mordecai and is expected to get the starting nod with Mordecai out. Locke threw for 122 yards while completing 50% of his passes, but he threw an interception and took a safety that gave Iowa a 12-6 lead in the fourth quarter.
Mordecai appeared to have been injured when he hit his right hand against an Iowa defender's helmet late in the second quarter. He got up from the turf and faced the Wisconsin sideline, pointing to his hand while saying "I can't throw." Mordecai had 12 completions for 106 yards prior to exiting the game.
"It doesn't look good for a little while," Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell said after the game. "He couldn't grip the ball. We'll have to make sure we find out what the deal is tomorrow, see how long that may last."
Mordecai transferred to Wisconsin from SMU in the offseason. The former longtime Mustangs starter ranked as the No. 7 quarterback available in the transfer portal according to 247Sports' rankings. He immediately stepped in as the starter for Fickell and new offensive coordinator Phil Longo.
In six games this season, Mordecai completed 114 passes for 1,127 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for four touchdowns. Mordecai initially signed with Oklahoma in 2018 before transferring to SMU in 2021, where he threw for 7,152 yards and 72 touchdowns in two seasons.
